


Rose

by mrslee19



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, I want to fill the world with JunBin, I write for other iKON ships too but Junbin has always been my weakness, Junhoe IS awesome, Light Angst, M/M, The other members will appear later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 07:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19291366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrslee19/pseuds/mrslee19
Summary: Boku No Hero AU. Koo Junhoe is awesome.





	Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Mistakes here and there that will be corrected once the author has some free time.  
> This is part of a series. So far I've written 4 fanfics in total, but since I don't know if people will be interested in this I decided to only post the first oneshot, Rose. The others are titled, Daisy, Gardenia and Tulip. I've got a fifth fanfic I'm currently working on, Daffodil, which focuses on another ship.  
> Keep in mind that this is only inspired by Boku no Hero. While some things may sound familiar this doesn't follow the exact same plot of the manga.

Junhoe’s powers manifest on his fifth birthday.

It starts with him playing with a candle, getting excited at how he can pull the little fire from it and morph it into a mini-ball of fire that he then sends straight to his sister’s project and burns it. He gets scolded, but it doesn’t matter much.

Because you see, while he’s in the bath, moping about being grounded instead of celebrating that he had finally obtained part of his powers, he accidentally swats away mister Duck and, _woah_. He flails his hands as the rubber toy flies in the air and his eyes widen as he notices that the droplets of water are literally following his fingers’ movements.

Junhoe cocks his head, stares some more before he cups more water with one hand and then tries to swirl some with his index.

He creates a little tornado—are they called tornado? It’s pretty awesome. _He’_ s pretty awesome.

And his whole family agrees.

Three days later he finds out that he can control electricity too. Like, he’s just mad at his mom who’s been postponing their trip to the store for her favorite drama that he thinks ‘I want the TV to stop working’ and at the exact moment he’s thought of that, the TV turns off.  
By now he’s pretty aware of his awesomeness so he looks at the electronic box, concentrates and thinks ‘turn on?” and woah, woah, it does turn on.

So, he’s more than awesome, but hey, he already knew that.

————

Kindergarten was not an option in the Koo’s household.

His sister was home schooled until she was thirteen, but since he’s a boy, his mom is less protective of him and allows him to go to a public elementary school.

Junhoe is six years and half when he learns that being able to manipulate three elements is going to take him far in life. That’s what classmates and teachers say.

Being admired and popular is damn cool.

People fawn over him and call him great. They surround his desk during recess and ask stuff, and they all go ‘wow’ when he performs the stupidest of tricks. If being praised by his parents gives him a feeling of immense satisfaction, getting compliments from others that are not part of his family double the sensation.

————

Junhoe gets dropped in front of the gates early because his sister’s private school is half an hour far from his and his parents always make sure to walk her in the building until classes begin.

It’s usually just him waiting for other students to arrive, but one day as he gets off their car, he spots another boy there.

Boy is wearing very red shoes and he’s just a tiny bit taller. He and Junhoe have the same rucksack, just a different color, meaning that this kid’s favorite superhero and Junhoe’s are the same, so when Junhoe gets approached he smiles big and friendly.

“Hi,” the boy says with a determined look.

“Hi!” Junhoe replies more enthusiastically. The urge to ask the question is bubbling in his chest. His mom has told him many times that he needs to give the other person room to talk too, but he cannot contain himself. “You like Taeyang too?” He grips the straps of his rucksack and rocks back and fort on his heels. “Did you see the news? He saved all those people from the collapsing house! He’s so so so _awesome_!”

“Ah, yes! He did! He’s really great!” The boy gushes, his eyes twinkling.

Feeling the same intensity of craze, Junhoe nods eagerly. “I think he’ll become number one! They were like hundreds of people and he all brought them out on his back. Hundreds on his back.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” The boy agrees with him wholeheartedly. He’s nodding his head too. His eyes are becoming even larger, and Junhoe likes that he can sense the honesty in the other’s voice.

Usually when he talks about Taeyang, his classmates and everyone else just go, ‘yeah, he’s not bad, but Jiyong!”.

It’s true that ranking wise, Jiyong is superior because, duh, he’s number one, but Taeyang is a—a beast. He has big flames all over his body and he’s strong and kind and he always says, ‘have no fear cause Taeyang is here’ with the brightest smile. That’s awesome.

It’s not lame, it’s _awesome_.

“I’m Junhoe!” He declares, his voice is maybe a bit too loud, but it doesn’t matter because he finally found someone who understands his admiration for the best man in the world. As an afterthought, he extends his hand for the boy to shake.

The other’s grip is weak, but his smile is big. “I’m Hanbin. Kim Hanbin.”

Junhoe has never had a friend with that name. He looks at Hanbin from head to toe. “Your shoes are awesome!”

“Thanks,” Hanbin says, “I got them for my birthday.” He adopts the same look that he was wearing when he first walked towards Junhoe. “You’re the guy who makes fire, water and electricity balls, right?”

Junhoe bobs his head in agreement. “Wanna see?” After Hanbin hums a quick affirmative, he darts his head around to see if there’s some source that’s not the school where he can borrow some—well, what does he want to show? A big fire ball? An enormous amount of floating water? A cloud of electrons? His choice has fallen most times than not on the first, but he feels like he wants to leave Hanbin with the best of impressions.

But there’s nothing he can use now. “I can’t find—” His face falls, but he quickly recovers. “Hey, come over to my house later and I’ll show you!”

“Y-youre inviting me?” Hanbin asks timidly with eyes big as saucers as if he cannot quite believe what just happened.

Junhoe nods. “Yes! Yes! Come! Mom won’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Hanbin questions weakly. “Because—”

“Of course I’m sure!” Junhoe cuts him off. Oops. He closes his mouth, re-opens it. “Sorry.” He apologizes. Let other people talk and don’t talk over them. _Listen_.

Hanbin doesn’t look annoyed at being interrupted. “Okay then, I’ll come.”

————

Junhoe’s mom minds.

Not Hanbin coming over, no.

She doesn’t appreciate Junhoe taking all the electricity while her show is airing and she yells at him when she finds countless of candles used to make his ball of fire bigger and bigger. Also, dad kind of pulls his face into a grimace when he summons the water he was using to take a bath. It’s not entirely his fault, though, since they don’t want to uncover and fill the pool yet, saying it’s too cold and stuff.

But Hanbin is awed. Like, his eyes are twinkling again and he tells Junhoe that he really is great like everyone else says.

“Thanks!” Junhoe preens, making the wobbly water form a sort of shield above their heads. Hopefully he won’t lose his focus and get them both wet. Then, he grins and with curiosity, asks, “what about you? What’s your power?”

Hanbin’s joyful expression gets erased. His features crumple and his shoulders get up as he circles his knees with his arms.

He murmurs. “I don’t have any.”

“Oh.” Junhoe says automatically.

Hanbin makes himself smaller and Junhoe feeling the discomfort, just chooses to deposit the water back in the bathroom, slowly and carefully, envisioning his house in his mind and trying not to get distracted or else he’ll drop it again in the living room and that won’t get him a simple reprimand.

By the time he’s done, Hanbin is still sad, and Junhoe cannot blame him because he too would feel like that if he did not have any power since everyone at school has it and—

oh.

Oh.

He heard about the powerless boy before. They were talking about him. One of his classmates even asked confirmation from the teachers. Asked if it was true someone with no power was in the school.

“Maybe you’re a late bloomer.” Junhoe suggests, scratching his scalp.

Hanbin doesn’t say anything, but he looks at him with interest.

That prompts Junhoe to add, “my mom said noona got her powers only two years ago. Now, she can breath fire.” He grimaces as he remembers all the burnt furniture. He really does not understand why his parents get mad at him for minor accidents when his sister was literally about to burn down their house when her powers manifested.

Hanbin raises his head. “Really?” He says, hopeful.

Junhoe nods. “Yes.” He says. “How old are you?”

“I’m eight.”

He’s older then. Junhoe points that out. “Then, you still have,” he starts, counting with his fingers even if it’s a pretty easy calculation, “two—three years!”

Hanbin’s eyes are so round. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, noona got her two years ago!” Junhoe repeats. A thought crosses his mind and he voices it out. “What kind of power would you like? Oh, oh, _oh_! What if you’re like Taeyang and you get all these flames on your body?! _Coool_!”

————

Hanbin goes home after dinner and Junhoe’s mom and Hanbin’s mom meet when they drive him to his house.

Which is pretty big. Like, bigger than Junhoe’s and that’s weird for him because his house is bigger than his grandfather’s and also because other guys have been over and they always say that Junhoe lives in a castle. Their swimming pool is two sizes larger than his. That’s awesome.

Junhoe is already imagining himself lifting all that water.

His mother gets in the car after a while. She turns her head to him instead of immediately turning the keys so something must have happened.

“Did Hanbin tell you?” She drawls. When Junhoe doesn’t say anything as he doesn’t understand what she’s talking about, she elaborates, “did he tell you that he has no powers?”

“ _Aah!_ ” Junhoe exclaims when he clues in. “Yeah, but I told him not to worry because noona got her powers late too!”

His mom stares at him. “Yes. Maybe.” She concedes after some heartbeats. “I’ve decided to be friends with Hanbin’s mom, Junhoe. What about you? Do you want to become friends with Hanbin?”

Junhoe doesn’t need to think about it. “I’m already friends with him.” He remarks petulantly.

Usually she rolls her eyes when he uses this tone, but not today. She gets this soft look, the one she has when she approves of what he said or done. “Good.”

It’s a bit confusing since he didn’t really do or say anything particularly amazing, but he’ll take it.

————

“Mom, I want to play with their pool.”

“You can play in their pool when it’s summer, Jun— _NO_. _In_ the pool. Not with the pool. Koo Junhoe.”

————

While Junhoe’s popularity hasn’t plummeted to the ground, he’s got rivals here and there. People whose abilities have improved exponentially and can now stand against his, even surpass his sometimes. Add to that the fact that he’s refused to stop hanging out with Hanbin, and he’s gained even more stinky eyes addressed towards him.

All those things aren’t important, though. Because Junhoe is confident in himself and his potential. He’s gradually getting there. Controlling his power is what he’s been focusing on with the help of an instructor. They’re working on making perfect oval or ball fires and waters and sometimes he manages to shape them differently. He can make a sword now, although it loses its form after a couple of seconds.

However, it’s at the age of eight and half that Junhoe sees with his own eyes how much progress he’s made.

It’s at the same age and on the same day that he also learns how mean people can be and how mean _he_ can become.

————

People at school don’t like Hanbin to the extent that they pull pranks on him.

They’re pretty harmless, but it makes Junhoe’s blood boil every single time because Hanbin doesn’t want to get revenge. The sparkle in his eyes dims, but he says that it’s okay and he smiles and it’s such a painful smile that once it pulled the string of Junhoe’s heart and he made several bulbs of the first floor explode from how much anger he felt.

It was shocking because Junhoe’s been sweating rivers to have even more control, has never ever in his life lost that much grip over his power.

That’s nothing compared to what’s coming next.

Junhoe and Hanbin see each other after school wherever they don’t have extra activities their parents want them to attend. It means that they meet two to three times a week.

Whoever finishes first has to wait the other out of the other’s class or in front of the school, at the gates. This day Junhoe cannot find Hanbin anywhere.

His dad is there waiting in the car and when Junhoe asks him if he’s spotted Hanbin, he tells him that he didn’t and they decide to look for him because it’s so not Hanbin to leave alone without any warning. Hanbin _cannot_ leave alone.

It’s because Junhoe’s chest feels like it’s getting heavy that he takes another route instead of following his dad and the janitors they asked for help.

Like, he feels like he’s becoming deaf. He can only hear his own heartbeat.

So he starts running in the hallway like a crazy man and starts shouting Hanbin’s name and when he passes near their bathroom, it’s then that his ears capture whispers.

Then, a guy he doesn’t know puts his head out from the door and curses when Junhoe sees him. And soon after four students are running out from the bathroom, and Junhoe looks at them for some seconds before he snaps out and he rushes inside.

To find his friend Hanbin on the floor, his hair wet and Junhoe doesn’t want to think why they’re in that condition, his mouth split, cheek purple. Bruising.

Junhoe cannot say in details what happened. He remembers asking Hanbin if they did this to him, and Hanbin biting his poor lower lip, trying to keep himself from crying.

He doesn’t know if it’s after Hanbin chokes on a sob or when Hanbin looks up at him and he’s so scared that Junhoe’s legs just move on their own, as fast as he can.

Junhoe’s lungs are protesting—he cannot catch them anyways, but he can see them from the window. He sees these four guys run away, almost about to step out of school property.

But they can’t. Because a lightning comes from the blue sky and almost hits them. They fall on their butts and while they’re scrambling trying to move away as the lightning doesn’t disappear, but tails after them, a circle of fire surrounds them.

Junhoe’s dream is to become a superhero. Like Taeyang. But they deserve it. They deserve it.

————

They get suspended.

The four boys for bullying Hanbin. Junhoe for giving burns to them. Hanbin gets called to the principal too who’s an _ass_ because he makes it sound like it’s partly Hanbin’s fault for not telling anyone about his situation. They knew. They all knew.

Junhoe knows that Hanbin’s mom came to talk to the teachers who said that they would intervene, but they did nothing and it escalated. No one has and now Hanbin doesn’t want to go to school anymore.

“Don’t do that anymore.” His mom demands, her finger that’s pointing at him is almost poking Junhoe between his eyes. “Promise me.”

Junhoe grits his teeth. He deflates. “I promise.” But he doesn’t tell her he doesn’t feel sorry.

His sister visits him in his room that night. They’re not super close. She’s a girl and he’s a boy and they like different things. Plus, they’re siblings. They talk, but it’s mostly just bickering.

She has grown in a lot of ways. Before she would never raise her head when their parents’ friends were over, now she’s found her tongue. She’s got a lot of opinions and she’s not afraid to talk. Junhoe thought she was cool back then when she was busy studying ways to awake her capabilities, now she’s gotten even cooler.

YeJin sits on his bed and Junhoe looks over. “Heard you cooked some chicken at school.”

Junhoe is surprised because that’s not something he expected. If their parents heard it will become a big issue. Still, after a second, he grins. “Not good chicken.” He whispers back conspiratorially.

She nods. Looking thoughtful, she asks, “how’s Hanbin?”

Junhoe feels the corner of his eyes sting at the question. His bottom lip quivers as he answers,

“the kid who can make things explode with his hands told him he would blow his leg if he didn’t drink—” He chokes on his words.

YeJin extends a hand to caress his hair. She nods again, this time with a sad expression. “And how are you?”

Junhoe can feel the tears. “I’m sad,” he tries to say. He doesn’t know if the words come out, but his sister embraces him and he closes his eyes.

————

He’s awesome.

Junhoe is still awesome.

After four days he gets to go back to school and he thinks the whole school’s around his desk. Everyone says he’s done a great job in teaching those kids a lesson, that he’s great because he’s so powerful they transferred somewhere else.

“They shouldn’t have attacked you.” One of them says.

Junhoe frowns. “They attacked Hanbin.”

“Useless Hanbin?” Another asks, but looks down when Junhoe glares at him.

“They did terrible things to Hanbin.” Junhoe quotes his mom’s words. He cannot bring himself to name all his friend had been through.

Later on, he hears older students say that they attacked Hanbin because he’s powerless. Wrong. They attacked Hanbin because they’re _dicks_.

————

Hanbin groans. “It’s five o’clock. I have to go.” He’s already getting up.

“But.” Junhoe starts to protest. On the laptop Taeyang keeps on sponsoring this energy drink that they’ve both just decided they’ll start drinking. He scowls. “Where are you going?”

“I have class.” Hanbin says unexpectedly.

Junhoe gapes. “At this hour?” When the other nods, he insists, “but why?”

“My teacher comes to teach at five thirty.” And to confirm that they hear Junhoe’s mom call for Hanbin, saying that Hanbin’s dad is downstairs waiting for him.

“But I can make a water cannon.” Junhoe whines. He doesn’t like this. They’ve got to play for only two hours. Today is Tuesday, Hanbin should stay here until after dinner at least. “Mom is making meatballs.” And he would have played with the electric stoves again while she’s cooking.

The edges of Hanbin’s mouth turn down. He huffs when he gets called again, but eventually he goes with just a goodbye directed at Junhoe.

Junhoe sulks.

————

“I want ice.” Hanbin says.

“Me too.” Junhoe replies. He’s about to head to the kitchen, but stops before even starting to walk. “What flavor do you want?”

That makes Hanbin chuckle. “No, no.” He shakes his head. “As a power. I want ice.”

“Oh.” Junhoe blinks.

It’s shocking. All this time he’s heard the other say that he wants fire powers too and now he’s just decided that he wants something else. A bit confusing—a lot confusing.

“I want to be more powerful than you!” Hanbin adds enthusiastically, a little smug maybe.

Junhoe finds that offending. He squints.

“I am going to HA in high school and I’ll defeat you!” Hanbin keeps on.

One of Junhoe’s eye twitches at that. “I can draw a sword now, Hanbin.” He says slowly. “And a shield. Made of two different elements. I’m like the Lord of the Sky. I can call lightnings when I want.”

Hanbin gives him a look. “I thought your mom told you you can’t do that anymore.”

Junhoe waves his hand as if saying that it’s not the point. “I could take all the water in your swimming pool and make a house out of it if I wanted.” Which he’s not sure of, but they cannot use the pool yet so Hanbin won’t know.

“I’ll still be better than you.” Hanbin muses. He grins when Junhoe sniffs, insulted even more. “You’re the strongest person I know. I want to defeat you and become the strongest.”

Junhoe is stunned. He’s been told many times by his friend that he’s awesome, but never the strongest. He thinks that too. Even then, being told that is another thing. He feels pleased and his chest feels like it’s expanding.

They are interrupted by Junhoe’s sister running in the backyard and yelling at him. “Junhoe, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Apparently he’s consumed her Yankee candle by kind of fueling the fire? Making it bigger? He didn’t recall doing that. Hopefully his instructor won’t know.

————

If Hanbin wants ice, then that’s fine because Junhoe can always melt it. Ha! He bets Hanbin didn’t think about that.

————

Junhoe knew this day would come.

He knew even if his mom kept telling him maybe instead of believing that it would happen. Knew it before Hanbin started waiting for it to happen instead of just humoring him and saying that it would happen.

Hanbin is eleven when his power manifests.

His parents invite the Koos over when it happens. There’s so much food, but it’s just for two families. Junhoe is a bit bewildered by that because he’s been told not to waste anything edible because he has to think about the less fortunate, but Hanbin’s dad quickly tells him not to worry. All that will remain will be immediately donated and brought to their local shelter for homeless people.

He’s calm after that. They eat and Junhoe sees Hanbin smile so much it hurts, but this time it makes him grin too.

They’re playing in the Kims garden when Hanbin asks him,

“do you want to see, June?”

A nickname. Junhoe feels all warm so he checks his hands and darts his head around to see if anything’s burning, but nothing. Huh. He brings back his attention to Hanbin who’s patiently waiting for him.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for ages.”

Hanbin points to one of the roses that Junhoe has learned are very precious to his mom. “Look.”

Junhoe watches attentively.

It’s not ice. The rose’s petals once pink turn brown, dry. Dead. Junhoe sees Hanbin stare at him and then Hanbin is moving his finger in circling motion and the rose slowly regains its color, standing proudly in the middle of its sisters.

“W-woah.” Junhoe says, bright eyed, lips twitching. He has to touch the flower just to feel that it’s real. After the brief contact, he returns his gaze to Hanbin, and exclaims, “that was awesome!”

Hanbin smiles big and bright. “Thanks!” Then, just two seconds later, he swallows, eyebrows drawing together. Eyes watering at the corner. He takes some steps to collapse in Junhoe’s arms and that’s when he bursts into a loud cry as he presses his face into the crook of Junhoe’s neck. He hugs Junhoe tighter and tighter, repeating again and again, “thanks, thanks, thanks.”

Junhoe didn’t do anything. But he returns the hug just as tight. He can feel his own eyes blink repeatedly as he tries not to cry too. He feels light, so happy.

It’s raining, but it’s only a little. Not pouring like the world is ending, but like the sky is weeping too because Hanbin did it. Junhoe knew it would happen.

Hanbin did it. _Finally_.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are highly appreciated. I take constructive criticism, but please know the difference between constructive and straight up rude. Thank you very much!


End file.
